Results 8,441-8,460 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: As I pointed out to Deputy Thomas Byrne, four out of five of the jobs created by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland last year were outside Dublin. Balanced regional development is a priority for the Government. The Action Plan for Jobs undertakes to ensure all regions experience growth in jobs, and the statistics show that is happening. Our plan up to 2020 is to ensure that of the 200,000...

Other Questions: Consumer Protection (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: The Deputy has raised a timely issue, as he noted. Gift vouchers supplied to consumers are subject to the provisions of general consumer protection legislation, in particular, the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 on unfair, misleading and aggressive commercial practices and the provisions of the European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations 1995, SI 27...

Other Questions: Consumer Protection (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: The Deputy has outlined that this is the time of year when people get a lot of gift vouchers, especially children. As politicians, the best advice we should give to consumers who buy or receive gift vouchers is to ensure that the vouchers are used as quickly as possible. This is also important. People have a tendency to lose them, leave them in a drawer or let them go out of date. That is...

Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I will try to take the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's advice on board. I thank the Deputy for his question. The current legal position is that civil fines are not provided for in Irish law for anti-competitive practices. My Department obtained advice on the issue of civil fines from the Office of the Attorney General to the effect that civil fines are not provided for in Irish law for...

Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: To follow up on my initial reply, it is important that we take on board the views on this matter. There are two areas concerned. The proposal currently being debated by the Council's working group and the European Commission has to be considered by the European Parliament. At this stage it is impossible for us to say what format the final EU measures will take. We must also bear in mind...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: This Government is substantially strengthening its focus on the possible implications of Brexit in order to safeguard the competitiveness of the Irish economy against any potential negative impacts. My Department and its Agencies play a key role in implementing the Government’s policies to stimulate the productive capacity of the economy and create an environment which supports job...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 26 together. I am very conscious of the challenges faced by companies operating in close proximity to the border as a result of Brexit, many of which trade freely on both sides. The Regional Action Plan for Jobs imitative, launched in January 2015, is a central pillar of the Government’s ambition to create 200,000 new jobs by 2020, 135,000 of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (28 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: 437. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 162 on 8 November 2017, when a person will be facilitated (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50463/17]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (28 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: 667. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a disability allowance payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50516/17]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Health and Safety Authority Expenditure (29 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: The table shows the funding allocated by the Health and Safety Authority for promotional activities regarding farm safety initiatives in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Table of Expenditure on Farm Safety Initiatives 2016 to 2018 Year Allocation * 2016 €384,000 (estimated) 2017 €287,000 (projected) 2018 €287,000 (projected)** *Note - that annual figures allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (5 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: 415. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51794/17]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (5 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: 499. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51782/17]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (5 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: 507. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51931/17]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (5 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: 508. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51932/17]

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Order for Report Stage (6 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: I thank Deputies Willie O'Dea and John Brady for their contributions. I do not propose to accept the amendment. Let me state why. In the context of budget 2018, it was decided to redesignate the family income supplement scheme as the working family payment scheme, which will give it more visibility as a payment aimed specifically at working families. The new name better reflects the...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: There has been a lot of analysis, which is the reason we introduced a new scheme. What is important is that we specifically encourage the taking up of employment among low-income families with children. The objective of the working family payment is to minimise the labour market disincentives for parents to take up work, to prevent in-work poverty among households with children and to...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: I will convey the Deputy's concerns to the Minister.

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: I cannot accept this amendment. The legislation providing for exceptional needs payments is set out in section 201 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005, as amended, and provides that an exceptional needs payment can be paid to meet an exceptional need where the officer considers it reasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case. The legislation does not confer a...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Pat Breen: When the community welfare service came into the Department, there was a review. The review was used as a basis for guidelines in 2012-2013. We will keep this scheme under review and look at it again to see whether it supports those it needs to support. As I stated, it is important that the social welfare officers on the ground use their discretion in exceptional cases, such as those...